Sam checked his compass, matching it to a southeastern direction to set a course for the entrance to the maze. Before he was finished, Jess had already started moving in that direction, with the confidence of someone who’d made the journey many times before.
They walked past the series of labyrinthine waterways that crisscrossed out from the river to irrigate a series of natural fields.
Jess said, “You might want to keep your weapons out. It can be a little dangerous out here, while we’re still near the Sentinel River, but it will get safer as we get closer to the maze.”
Sam gripped his MP5, scanning the short grass nearby for signs of any living creature. There wasn’t much and nothing big enough to cause them any harm. “What exactly should we be keeping our eyes out for?”
“You’ll know when it comes for you,” Jess said without altering her stride. “Just keep moving.”
“Great…” Tom said, “We’ll just ah… keep our eyes out for anything that’s going to try and kill us.”
“That’s a good motto here in the 8th Continent,” Jess said cheerfully.
They reached the entrance to the maze by early afternoon.
It was a single arched opening in the middle of a solid wall of obsidian, some thirty feet high. It seemed more intimidating up close.
Sam stopped and had a quick drink from his water bottle. He glanced inside. The entrance led to a single passageway that ran at least a hundred feet inward. Removing his tablet, he checked the image in his program. It matched up precisely, putting an image of an old Pacman creature where they were on the map and an X at the center of the maze.
Jess urged them on. “We need to move quickly. There’s only about four hours of sunlight left. We need to make sure we’re out of the maze before dark, or we’ll never get out.”
Sam’s lips curled into a wry smile. “Why?”
Jess said, “Because I don’t plan on spending eternity inside some stupid maze.”
“No, I mean, I have an aerial digital photo of the maze on my tablet, with the most direct route programmed into it. I realize you’ve never used GPS, but this program will basically map out any intricate detail, so that we know precisely where we are at any time. So, I think you’ll discover we’ll be able to find our way through quickly in the dark or the light.”
She laughed. “Not this maze.”
Sam adjusted the straps to his backpack, slinging his weapon over his shoulder and keeping his tablet out.
Jess shook her head. “You might find you’ll want to swap that tablet for something more useful.”
Sam held his tablet up. “This will be useful. Just wait and see.”
“No. It won’t. And definitely not as useful as that pop-gun you keep on carrying.”
Sam said, “I can reach it quick as I need. Besides, Tom’s a better shot than I am.”
“You’d better hope so.”
They entered the maze, walking approximately forty feet inside before they heard it.
Sam stopped. The noise was quiet and distant, but none-the-less clearly distinguishable — it was the echo of an animal’s growl.
His eyes scanned the open passageway up ahead. It was gun barrel straight and empty. The maze was made up of vertical and horizontal passageways. Whatever was coming for them, they still had time. Besides, an animal wasn’t going to get far against their weapons.
He turned to Jess. “You never mentioned how the maze prevents all predators from entering…”
“That’s right.”
The growl came louder now, echoing through the maze.
Sam said, “How exactly does the maze do that?”
The lines around Jess’s face deepened. “Didn’t I mention… the maze is home to a pride of marsupial lions.”
Sam said, “You might have neglected to mention that.”
Tom aimed his weapon down the passageway.
Sam said, “We’re only forty odd feet from the exit. We should leave and you can fill us in with everything we need to know about marsupial lions before we start.”
Jess sighed. “I’m afraid it’s too late for that. We can’t get out now. The only way out is to go through the maze.”
Sam said, “What are you talking about? The exit it right behind us!”
“No, it isn’t.”
Sam felt a lump in his throat as he turned to face the exit, which was now a solid wall of obsidian. He grabbed his computer tablet, his eyes landing on the map. It now showed simply a question mark over the entire maze.
Sam turned on Jess, “What the hell’s going on?”
Jess swallowed. “Oh, by the way… the maze is alive.”
Chapter Twelve
Jess saw doubt and fear fixed on Sam Reilly’s face.
But there was a hardened resolve there, too. With the quick movements of a seasoned soldier, Sam had his weapon already out, loaded with a full magazine. His jaw was set firm, and his intelligent ocean blue eyes filled with the poise and acuity of a man used to being in charge of any situation. Next to him, Tom wore a bemused smile of indifference — as though being trapped in a moving, living, maze was nothing particularly out of the ordinary.
Sam said, “All right, Jess. Your move. Now what?”
She met his eye. “Now, you’d better follow me exactly, or we’ll all be killed. How does that work for you?”
“Suits me,” Sam said.
“Good.” She turned to Tom. “What about you?”
“I’m just along for the ride and to keep Sam from doing something really stupid,” Tom replied, without lowering his weapon. “You sound like you know where you’re going. So, we’ll just follow you.”
Sam said, “But whatever we do, we should do it now.”
Jess folded her arms across her chest. “Actually, we have to wait right here.”
Sam kept his MP5 aimed down the long passageway. “We’re going to wait for them to come to us?”
Jess nodded. “Marsupial lions were once the largest marsupial carnivores anywhere in the world. Despite their name, they’re more closely related to diprotodons than lions. They weigh about 250 to 300 pounds with extremely robust, powerfully built jaws and very strong forelimbs. They possess retractable claws, a unique trait among marsupials, allowing them to keep their claws razor sharp while regularly running on hard surfaces — such as obsidian.”
The sound of growling was now superimposed with the beat of powerful hind paws racing along the narrow passageways up ahead.
Jess felt her chest tighten. Despite being through this challenge previously, the sound always got to her. She felt her throat try to close up and her breathing becoming labored. She swallowed down the fear and stood her ground.
She spoke in a slow, monotone voice. “They have semi-opposable first digits, like thumbs, with an enlarged claw well suited for climbing trees and grappling with its prey, slicing right through it. They are slower than most predators, better suited for stalking and short bursts — but make no mistake about it, they will kill you if they’re allowed to come within reach of you.”
“Will our shots kill it?” Tom asked, casually.
“To be honest, I don’t know.” Jess closed her eyes, concentrating on the sound of the oncoming beasts, rather than their sight. “It doesn’t really matter. There are too many for you to kill them all.”
Sam shouted, “They’re here!”
Jess opened her eyes.
The pride of marsupial lions raced straight at them.
Jess consciously breathed in through her nose. “Whatever you do, don’t make a move.”
The pride consisted of twenty marsupial lions. The maze was their home. Their territory. And they would protect it from all intruders with their lives.
“Wait for it!” she instructed.
A moment later the pack of beasts disappeared.
In their place was a solid wall of obsidian.